Despite the many unfortunate events such as the great fire in Hanseong, the manipulation lawsuit involving Kim Doyeon, and bribery scandals, life continued with its share of daily occurrences and good news.
Among these ongoing matters was the search for a consort for Princess Jeonghye, which had been halted but was now resumed.
In the main palace, King Sejong and Queen Sohyeon sat across from each other, tea cups between them, engaged in conversation.
“How is your health?”
“I am still well.”
“The royal physician said childbirth is near. I have informed my physicians, but you must also take care, my queen.”
“I am grateful for your concern.”
As the time for Prince Geumseong’s birth approached, Sejong pressed the royal physicians to focus on the queen’s care.
The discussions soon shifted to the upcoming marriage of Princess Jeonghye.
“She won’t throw a tantrum again, will she?”
“That child has grown older, hasn’t she? Rather, she seems to be looking forward to it.”
“Indeed… it feels refreshing yet somewhat bittersweet…”
At the queen’s response, Sejong’s expression reflected a mix of emotions.
Seeing this, Queen Sohyeon smiled and spoke.
“When the time comes, it is only natural to marry off one’s children, isn’t it?”
“That is true, but… sigh~.”
With a small sigh, Sejong changed the subject. “Once Jeonghye is sent off, we must prepare for the Crown Prince’s marriage as well.”
“Indeed. It will be quite busy.”
“It has come to this, hasn’t it?”
Sejong answered briefly, his expression earnest as he wished, “I hope only good things continue to happen from now on.”
“Since Your Majesty wishes so earnestly, it shall be so.”
Near the Amnok River, a group of Joseon cavalry clad in new armor covered with green fabric was moving swiftly.
The cavalry was heading north, where black smoke had been rising for some time.
“Could it be the work of the Jurchens?”
“Isn’t it too late in the season for farming?”
In response to a question from a subordinate riding beside him, the training officer Im Gyeongseok replied in a stern voice.
“Indeed. I wonder if this is good luck or bad…”
“I agree.”
Nodding at his subordinate’s complaint, Im Gyeongseok reflected on the recent developments.
New weapons produced in District 51 were being supplied, and with the military reforms underway, the training center had expanded its operations.
The mission of the training center was to develop tactics for effectively utilizing the newly developed weapons and to train soldiers accordingly.
Due to the nature of their duties, those known for their strength and intelligence in both the central and local armies were assigned to the training center.
This included not only regular soldiers but also the elite troops.
The twelve divisions responsible for the capital’s defense, as well as capable individuals from armies across the nation, were gathered at the training center.
The tasks assigned to these gathered individuals were straightforward:
- To accurately learn the usage of the newly produced weapons and refine the tactics developed for them.
- Once a certain level of proficiency was reached, to send instructors to other units to teach the usage of the new weapons and tactics.
- To form units of at least a hundred soldiers and deploy them to border areas to identify and improve issues encountered in actual combat.
It was no easy task, and those who completed this process were promised significant rewards.
Even the lowest-ranking soldiers received all equipment and pay from the state, while professional soldiers of rank Gapsa and above were promised at least one rank promotion.
Thanks to the enticing rewards in sight, the officers and soldiers assigned to the training center devoted themselves to training and education.
Selected from the prepared personnel, some continued their existing duties at the training center, while others were dispatched to different units to take on teaching roles.
Now, the cavalry led by Im Gyeongseok was among those dispatched for the final mission of checking their skills through actual combat.
Thus, they found themselves uncertain whether they had encountered good fortune or misfortune.
If those who had set the smoke were indeed the Jurchens and their numbers were manageable, it would be a great opportunity to achieve merit.
Conversely, if their numbers were large, they would face the risk of being overwhelmed or forced to flee in panic.
“It’s the Jurchens!”
“Damn! What’s their scale?”
In response to the report from a scout who had gone ahead, Im Gyeongseok cursed.
The scout quickly answered Im Gyeongseok’s question. “It appears to be about forty riders!”
“Forty riders? How many houses have been attacked?”
“About ten households!”
“Hmmm…”
Im Gyeongseok stroked his beard, deep in thought at the scout’s report.
Weighing the pros and cons, he asked a subordinate beside him, “Should we engage?”
“I don’t think we’ll suffer losses.”
“Is there anyone against it?”
No one among the cavalry raised their hands in opposition.
Instead, their fighting spirit seemed to grow stronger.
Seeing the cavalry’s determination, Im Gyeongseok chuckled softly. “These are the kind of men we have…”
The cavalry before him were seasoned warriors who had experienced many battles.
Moreover, they were equipped with weapons they had come to favor during their training.
The men in front of Im Gyeongseok were not the type to retreat in this situation.
“I’ve been itching for a fight too; let’s have some fun!”
“Understood!”
At Im Gyeongseok’s command, the cavalry responded energetically.
“Charge with spear cavalry! After that, use the mounted firearms and cavalry sabers to eliminate the enemies!”
“Will you not use the long firearms?”
“You said there are only about forty riders, right? If we use the long firearms, they’ll just run away. Let’s draw them in and sweep them away! Not a single one should escape!”
“Understood!”
Hearing the cavalry’s responses, Im Gyeongseok began to prepare for battle.
“Don’t forget your protective gear and face coverings!”
“Yes!”
At Im Gyeongseok’s command, the cavalry loosened the protective gear they had been wearing around their necks and secured it tightly over their eyes, then covered their mouths and noses with the cloths they had also loosely draped around their necks.
The protective gear and cloths were new additions that accompanied the newly issued weapons.
The protective gear was designed to allow the charging cavalry to maintain visibility.
Made of thin, flat-cut crystal fitted into a frame of thin metal and covered with leather, it protected their eyes from the harsh dirt and wind.
The cloth made of cotton served as a vital item to protect their breathing from the smoke produced by gunpowder.
With quick movements, Im Gyeongseok donned his protective gear and cloth, tightening the straps of his saddle.
“Let’s go!”
“Han! It’s the Joseon army!”
The Jurchen chieftain, observing the battlefield, cursed.
“The Joseon army is already here! Damn!”
The unexpected speed of the Joseon army’s arrival made the chieftain curse.
This raid was a choice he had no other option but to make.
The famine that had persisted for the past few years had brought his tribe to the brink of survival.
Moreover, the merchants who had been smuggling between Joseon and Ming had begun to disappear, exacerbating the tribe’s crisis.
Additionally, the tribes led by Im Manju from the north were expanding their influence, forcing his tribe into a corner.
He had sought help from other tribes related by blood, but that too had reached its limits.
With the merchants gone and the grains meant for sustenance consumed, the chieftain had no choice but to make a decision.
The survival of his tribe, Booigon, was at stake, and he faced the risk of rebellion or being attacked by other tribes.
The only option left for him was to cross the river.
“We will cross the river!”
Following his decision, he left only a minimal defense for the tribe and organized a small unit, Tatan, to cross the Amnok River.
Upon finding a suitable village after crossing the river, the chieftain immediately launched an attack.
“Kill everyone except for the grains meant for sustenance and the children to sell as slaves!”
“Uwaaaah!”
Not long after the battle began, the Joseon army appeared.
As he observed the approaching green-clad Joseon cavalry raising clouds of dust in the distance, the chieftain assessed the situation.
“There are about twenty Joseon cavalry… They favor a five-to-one ratio, so it’s likely there are twenty-five. Hmmm… Did they come running after seeing the smoke? If so, they must be all they have.”
Having assessed the situation, the chieftain called for his warriors.
“Gather! We will kill the Joseon army!”
“Isn’t it time to retreat?”
“They are likely cavalry patrolling nearby! That means they are all there! We will devour them all! If it’s Joseon’s weapons, their quality is good, so they will be of help to us!”
At the chieftain’s words, the most experienced warrior chimed in.
“Indeed.”
“Right?” The chieftain asked, and the warrior grinned fiercely.
“Today seems to be a very lucky day.”
“It’s a day of good fortune. Everyone, move! The Joseon army is only half our number! Let’s kill them all!”
“Uwaaaah!”
“Shoot your arrows!”
At the chieftain’s command, the Jurchen warriors drew their bows and pulled back their strings.
“Arrows incoming!”
As the arrows began to fly, Im Gyeongseok shouted commands loudly.
At his signal, the Joseon cavalry, running in two lines, widened their formation.
Although arrows were flying, none of the Joseon cavalry showed fear.
They were well aware that the newly issued armor and helmets could easily deflect such arrows.
Unlike the previous armor, which only protected the torso, the new armor provided full protection for arms and legs, instilling confidence in them.
“Charge!”
At Im Gyeongseok’s signal, the cavalry secured their spears and thrust them forward.
As the red tassels hanging from the spearheads fluttered wildly in the wind, the Joseon cavalry collided head-on with the charging Jurchens.
“A spear charge? They underestimate us!”
Seeing the Joseon cavalry charging with their spears aimed forward, the Jurchen warriors scoffed.
The spear charge, which could only attack directly, was a tactic considered basic among the Jurchens.
A skilled Jurchen warrior could easily evade the spear and strike at the enemy’s flank.
“Such a thing… Gah!”
As the spear tips of the approaching Joseon army drew closer, a Jurchen warrior prepared to dodge, only to look in disbelief at the spear that pierced through his body.
The spear from the Joseon army was much longer than any he had known.
The Joseon cavalry’s spear was not just longer; it was designed with various tricks conceived by the training center.
The newly made Joseon cavalry spear had increased in length by three feet.
Not only was it longer, but the spearhead was made as thin and sharp as possible, and the tassels that used to hang below the spearhead were lowered.
This was to create confusion for the enemy when measuring distance.
The saddle was similarly designed.
The length of the spear holder, which kept the spear upright during movement, was extended downward to prevent the enemy from accurately gauging the spear’s length.
Additionally, a support was installed on the saddle to reduce the burden on the cavalry when charging.
Through these tricks, the power of the spear charge was enhanced.
In the first clash between the Joseon army and the Jurchens, over ten Jurchen warriors were skewered and fell to the ground.
Without slowing down, the Joseon cavalry, having pierced through the Jurchen formation, circled back and charged at the Jurchens again.
“Yah! Yah!”
With only their feet in the stirrups to control their horses, the Joseon cavalry wielded unfamiliar sabers in their right hands and a strange, dark metal object in their left.
“It’s hand-to-hand combat! Let’s finish this!”
“Yah!”
As the Joseon army engaged in close combat, the Jurchen warriors swung their sabers in response.
However, the situation betrayed them once more.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Joseon cavalry, blocking the Jurchen’s saber with their own, pulled the trigger of the mounted firearm in their left hand.
“Gah!”
The bullets fired at point-blank range pierced through the vital points of the Jurchen warriors.
In just two clashes, the Jurchens who had crossed the Amnok River to raid the villages were annihilated.
“The situation is resolved.”
“Any dead or injured?”
“There are no foolish ones among them.”
“Any enemies that escaped?”
“None that we can see.”
Upon receiving the report from his subordinate, Im Gyeongseok finally let out a long breath.
“Phew~. Now I can breathe easy!”
With the tension finally released, Im Gyeongseok spoke to his subordinate in a much softer voice.
“Clean up the battlefield and prepare to move the survivors.”
“Understood.”
Watching his subordinates tidy up the battlefield, Im Gyeongseok sighed softly.
“I dread writing the report. I have to write three copies of the same content…”
This was in accordance with a saying he had heard at the training center.
- Always write three copies of the report.
One for submission to the higher-ups, another as a precaution for unforeseen circumstances, and the last for your own safety.
And this battle would mark the beginning of the Jurchens’ awareness of the ‘Green Devils’ of Joseon.